Blue Jays make it 3 straight wins over sagging M’s in Seattle

SEATTLE — Marco Estrada baffled Seattle’s struggling bats with his mix of offspeed pitches, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning and leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-1 win over the Mariners on Saturday night.

Estrada (5-8) was masterful with his changeup, keeping the Mariners guessing all night. He didn’t give up a hit until Mitch Haniger’s one-out double just inside third base in the seventh inning. It was just Seattle’s second baserunner after Nelson Cruz walked leading off the second inning.

Otherwise, the Mariners’ slumping offence looked even more meagre against Estrada, who entered the day with a 4.90 ERA and had allowed four earned runs in four innings in his last start. Estrada also induced plenty of weak contact as Seattle struggled to make the adjustment between speeds.

Estrada was pulled after walking Ryon Healy to open the eighth inning, leaving to a standing ovation from the thousands of Toronto fans in attendance.

Seattle starter James Paxton (9-5) lost for the third time in his past four starts against the team he no-hit earlier this season in Toronto. The damage against Paxton came via two blows: Devon Travis’ two-run single in the third and Aledmys Diaz’s solo home run leading off the fifth.

Paxton was able to get through the seventh thanks to inning-ending double plays in the first, third and fifth innings, and another key double play in the seventh. He struck out seven and has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 14 of his last 17 starts.

Toronto added two more runs off Seattle’s bullpen on Justin Smoak’s RBI single in the eighth and Brandon Drury’s double in the ninth. Toronto has scored 10 runs — seven earned — off Seattle’s bullpen in the first three games of the series.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: 2B Dee Gordon was a late scratch from the lineup Saturday because of a sore ankle. Manager Scott Servais expects Gordon to play Sunday. … RHP Erasmo Ramirez will make one more rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Tacoma. Servais expects Ramirez to return to the active roster if all goes well. … Servais doesn’t know how long RHP Juan Nicasio, who was placed on the 10-day DL Friday, could be on the DL because of his knee situation. “Juan’s frustrated that it hasn’t felt good. He wants to make it right. I certainly think he can come back and impact this year down the stretch, but I don’t know.”

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-4, 5.10) is expected to make his 15th start of the season Sunday afternoon. Gaviglio has lost four of his last five starts while allowing 19 earned runs over 20.1 innings for an 8.51 ERA over that span.

Mariners: RHP Mike Leake (8-7, 4.16) is scheduled to make his 23rd start of the season Sunday afternoon. Leake is on pace to make at least 30 starts for the seventh consecutive season. He is one of only four pitchers who made at least 30 starts every season from 2012-17.